Panela-la-land

KOSMALT is the original largest workers' dormitory of the Košice VSŽ ironworks, built in the 1960s according to a design by architects Ladislav Greč and Róbert Kandrík. The name of the building refers to the type of enameled steel, the production of which was a specialty of the local ironworks. The building is located in the Košice Terasa housing estate and, thanks to its distinctive silhouette and characteristic facade, it dominates the urban structure.

The aim of the comprehensive renovation of the building's exterior and interior was to preserve the building's identity, rehabilitate its original qualities and at the same time adapt it to today's housing requirements. The architects' approach is based on the belief that even typologically utilitarian buildings from the second half of the 20th century can, after sensitive transformation, offer full-fledged and attractive urban housing. The thirteen-storey building is defined by a strict structural and layout grid, which also determines the appearance of the exterior. The geometric grid of the facade, made of prefabricated concrete modules, gives the building an unmistakable expression. The strictly modular eastern and western facades, formed by a grid of 22 × 13 identical fields, became the main motif of the renovation. The reconstruction respects this principle, develops it and elevates it to one of the strongest architectural elements of the building. The monochromatic gray color of the facade supports its monumentality and purity of composition. An important part of the design was the discovery and restoration of valuable original materials and details that had been covered over by newer layers over the decades. The original cast terrazzo in the common corridors and staircases, the marble cladding of the vestibule, the travertine plinth of the facade, the original steel beams in the common areas, as well as the steel gallery and staircase in the entrance hall were preserved and renovated. New interventions enter the building in a contemporary language through expanded metal, corrugated sheet metal, new custom-designed lighting and strong color accents. Old and new remain clearly differentiated from floor to ceiling, but at the same time architecturally balanced. The dignified dimension of shared living The building has retained its original function of housing. The layout respects the logic of the building and at the same time fully utilizes its potential. In contrast to the scale of the apartments themselves, the entrance areas, corridors and vertical communications appear generous and representative. Thanks to the abundance of natural light, views and generous proportions, they acquire the character of social spaces on each of the thirteen floors. Two identical, symmetrically positioned staircases continue to clearly divide the building into two parts, originally male and female. The design also includes a new orientation system based on color and symbol. Salmon, ivory, and yellow, along with plus and minus signs, distinguish the individual corridor wings and help visitors intuitively read the layout of the building.

The evolution of form changes identity

KOSMALT was not originally designed as an adaptable building, but its renovation has managed to add this feature to the building.
The project thus brings an approach that is still not common in our conditions – a sensitive transformation of an existing building, the “renovation of a prefabricated house” as a fully-fledged architectural strategy.

Originally, the building served as a socialist free labor camp – a type of accommodation designed for free laborers, which was supposed to provide basic facilities, as well as social supervision. Today, the same building enters a completely different social context and offers individual, dignified, and contemporary forms of housing. The transformation of KOSMALT confirms that architecture can flexibly adapt to diverse needs and reflect the life cycles of those who inhabit it.

Source: ARCHITECT+ 58 – 062026

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